Puzzle.



G. CHAPMAN.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED 001231, 1907.

Patented Sept. 15,1908.

m M W N I W/ TNE SSE 8 ,4 TTORNE Y S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE CHAPMAN, OF ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY' PUZZLE.

Application filed October 31, 1907.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Arlington, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Puzzle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is the provision of a puzzle embodying a movable body and a certain defined course or path over which the body is to be moved, the body and path being screened from the direct view of the operator who observes them only through the reflection of a mirror, whereby the natural order of things is reversed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of my invention, showing certain of the parts in section substantially on the line 11 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the puzzle.

In the'construction of the puzzle, I preferably employ a box of circular or other suitable form and comprising the body portion 5 and top 6, the body portion 5 being provided on the inside thereof with an inclined track or path 7, the said track being preferably of a sinuous nature where it starts from the bottom of the box, and provided with a ring 8, intermediate its length, and finally terminating at a point where it is separated a small distance from a post 9, arranged substantially at the center of the box and at the same height as the track terminal.

Designed to be moved over the track 7, by the manipulation of a pointer 10, is a body 11 which, as shown, is of pyramidal form and of such size as to become unbalanced when moving it over the opening in the ring 8 and over the space between the terminal of the track and the post 9, unless the body be moved across these places in a diagonal direction or in alinement with one of its longer diameters, in which case, the body may be caused by the proper manipulation of the pointer to successfully traverse the track and be brought to rest upon the post 9 at the center of the box 5.

In order to render the movement of the body more difficult to the unskilled, both it and the track are shielded from direct view of the operator by a disk 12, the said disk being supported in an inclined position Specification of Letters Patent.

direction from that intended.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 399,993.

overhanging one side of the box, and supported therefrom by a support 13, in the nature of a strip having its extremities reversely bent upon itself to provide clips for bindingly engaging both the flange of the box and the edge of the disk.

The track and body of the puzzle although being obscured from direct view of the operator, the same may be seen indirectly by the reflection of a mirror 14, which reverses the natural order of things, thereby influencing the operator to move the body in the reverse The mirror 14 is preferably secured within the top 6, and the top is supported by a support 15, from the box and in an angular position opposite the shield 12. The support 15, like the support 13 is also in the nature of a strip having the extremities thereof reversely bent upon itself to provide clips which respectively bind the flange of the box, and a loop 16 secured to the outside of the top 6. When the puzzle is disassembled, the whole, including the disk- 12 and supports 13 and 15, may be packed within the box and the top 6 closed.

The puzzle as shown and described while being the preferred manner of construction of my invention, may obviously be modified in numerous particulars without departing from the nature of the invention as defined in the claims annexed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a puzzle, a movable body, an inclined track over which the body is to be moved by the operator in the solution of the puzzle, means for obscuring the operators direct view of the track and body, and a mirror through which the operator may observe the track and body.

2. In a puzzle, an inclined track having a sinuous portion and a ring in the course of its length, a post arranged adjacent to and separated from the highest terminal of the track, and a body movable over said track, adapted to be unbalanced and topple over in certain positions thereof when assing over said ring and from the termina of the track to the post.

3. In a puzzle, an inclined track, a post arranged adjacent to the highest terminal of the track and separated a slight distance therefrom, and an angular body one of whose dimensions is less than the distance between the post and the track adapted to be moved over said track to the post only when a longer dimension of the body is turned to bridge the space between the post and the adjacent track terminal.

4. In a puzzle, a boX comprisingatop and a body, a mirror carried within the top, a track arranged within the body of the boX, a body adapted to be moved oversaid track, a shield, and supports one for supporting the shield and one for supporting the top from the boX body in such a position that the shield Will obscure the operators direct View from both the track and body, but permit their indirect observance through the mirror, said supports, shield and body being adapted to be contained within said box.

5. In a puzzle, a boX comprising a top and a 7 body portion, a mirror arranged in the top, a

that the movement of the body may be only indirectly observed through the mirror.

6. In a puzzle, an inclined track having a ring in the course of its length, a post adj acent to andseparated from the highest terminal of the track, and an angular body, one of whose dimensions is less than the internal diameter of the ring, and also less than the distance between the post and the track,

adapted to be slid over said track and passed over said ring and the s ace between the post and adjacent termina when the body is moved in the direction of a longer dimension thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE CHAPMAN.

Witnesses JAMES NESS, Jr, WM. A. KING. 

